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HB 2718

FACILITATE VOTING FOR ALL

104th Regular Session Introduced by Barbara Hernandez and 2 co-sponsors

Illinois would declare that all eligible Illinois citizens have a civic duty to cast a ballot in every general election, with no penalties; blank ballots count as participation.

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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 2718

HB 2718 — “Facilitate Voting For All” (Introduced version — summary)

Note on source text: The materials provided appear to combine two different bills (an Arizona amendment to parenting‑time law and an Illinois election bill). This summary focuses on the Illinois election measure that matches the given title (“Facilitating Voting By All Eligible Citizens Act”) and clarifies the apparent drafting/compilation inconsistency at the end.

Main purpose

To establish a statutory statement of a universal civic duty that all eligible Illinois citizens cast a ballot in every general election, while expressly not imposing fines, fees, or other penalties for failing to do so.

Key provisions

  • Short title: “Facilitating Voting By All Eligible Citizens Act.”
  • Findings: Cites constitutional principles on uniform election law, provides rough voter statistics (fewer than 10 million eligible citizens in Illinois; ~8.1 million registered; ~5.7 million voted in the 2024 general election), and notes that more than two dozen countries treat voting as a civic duty (example: Australia).
  • Section establishing duty:
    • “All eligible citizens shall cast a ballot in every general election.”
    • Casting a blank ballot in a general election satisfies the requirement.
    • No fine, fee, or penalty shall be assessed if an eligible citizen does not cast a ballot in a general election.

Who is affected

  • The statute would address all citizens eligible to vote in Illinois general elections. Because the bill explicitly forbids penalties, it functions as a non‑punitive civic duty statement aimed at all eligible voters rather than creating a new enforcement regime.

Implementation and practical effect

  • The bill creates a normative obligation without enforcement mechanisms. Because it bars fines or penalties for non‑voting, the provision is primarily declarative and symbolic, intended to encourage turnout rather than to compel it through sanctions.
  • Administrative effects could include opportunities for voter education campaigns, public messaging, or legislative direction for outreach, but the text does not allocate funding, create new administrative duties, or change registration or balloting procedures.
  • Counting a blank ballot as satisfying the duty could be used in outreach or reporting to show civic participation even when a voter chooses not to select any candidate.

Legislative status and sponsors (from supplied material)

  • Introduced in the Illinois General Assembly (sponsor: Rep. Maurice A. West, II — introduced 2/6/2025). The supplied file also lists Rachel Keshel and Maurice A. West II as sponsors and records multiple referral and reading actions between February and March 2025. Most recent listed status: Rule 19(a) / Re‑referred to Rules Committee (3/21/2025).
  • Note: The document also contains text from an Arizona House bill (amending Arizona Revised Statutes §25‑103 regarding parenting time). That material appears unrelated to the Illinois voting act and may reflect a compilation or filing error.

Observations / potential issues

  • Because the bill prohibits penalties, it raises questions about enforceability and whether its value would be primarily symbolic or promotional.
  • The inclusion of blank ballots as satisfying the duty is notable: it recognizes an act of participation even where no candidate choice is made.
  • The bill does not address mechanisms for measuring compliance, reporting participation under this duty, or funding for related outreach.

If you want, I can draft a short, plain‑language explainer for voters or prepare a side‑by‑side comparison with other proposals (e.g., mandatory voting regimes that include penalties and enforcement mechanisms).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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